Electrical beacon equipment



April 7, 1959 c. L; JACOBS 2,881,358

' ELECTRICAL BEACON EQUIPMENT I Filed June 17, 1957 Car/fox? L. JacobsINVENTOR.

BY wa ww United States Patent ELECTRICAL BEACON EQUIPMENT Carlton L.Jacobs, Houston, Tex., assignor to Tideland i pecialty Co. Inc.,Houston, Tex., a corporation of exas Application June 17, 1957, SerialNo. 666,138

9 Claims. (Cl. 315-93) This invention relates to electrical beaconequipment and more particularly to electrical timer and lamp changingmechanism employed in flashing beacons.

The invention finds particular application in connection with electricalbeacon equipment of the flashing type, which must be capable ofdependable operation over long periods of time, and in which the on andoft periods of the light must be accurately determined and are ofrelatively short duration.

In electrical beacon light equipment and especially flashing beaconswherein size and weight are important factors, great difficulty has beenencountered in providing timing and lamp changing mechanism which ispositive and accurate in operation and in which the power consumed islow.

The present invention has for an important object the provision ofelectrical beacon equipment including lamp changing mechanism whichcomes into operation upon the burning out or defective operation of anelectric lamp which is being used to replace the lamp with a new one.

Another object of the invention is to provide electrical beaconequipment embodying lamp changing mechanism which is operable upon theplacing in circuit of a lamp which is defective or which consumescurrent for inefii cient operation to replace such lamp with anotherlamp.

A further object of the invention is the provision of electrical beaconequipment of the flashing type having timing mechanism for controllingthe on and off time of the lamp and wherein means is embodied which isoperable upon failure of the timing mechanism to cause the lamp toremain continuously lighted.

Another object of the invention is the provision of electrical beaconequipment embodying lamp changing mechanism which is effective upon theburning out of a lamp to replace the same with a minimum of delay in, orsuspension of, the operation of the beacon.

Another object of the invention is to provide electrical beaconequipment including lamp changer mechanism which is operable upon theburning out of one lamp to place another lamp in circuit, and includingmeans for shutting off the operation of the lamp changer mechanism whenthe supply of lamps has been exhausted.

A still further object of the invention is to provide electrical beaconequipment which is of simple design and rugged construction, capable ofwithstanding the rough treatment and extreme conditions of exposure towhich such equipment is likely to be subjected.

The above and other important objects and advantages of the inventionmay best be understood from the following detailed descriptionconstituting a specification of the same, when considered in conjunctionwith the annexed drawings. In the drawings the single figure is acircuit diagram showing the electrical circuits of the timing and I lampchanging mechanism of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings ingreater detail, the invention compriseselectrical timer mechanism of the rotary cam actuated type with which iscombined lamp Y actuated switch mechanism designated generally by thenumeral 10 which includes a cam 12, having an operating connection withan electrical motor, not shown, whereby the cam is rotated at apredetermined speed, the cam being positioned to periodically actuatethe switch arms 14, 16 and 18 of switch mechanism by which theelectrical timing circuits are opened and closed.

The motor by which the cam 12 is rotated in connected to a source ofelectrical current, such as a battery 13, of any suitable type, throughconductors 20 and 22. The switch arm 14 is also connected to oneterminal of the battery 13 through conductor 22 and a conductor 24. Theopposite terminal of the battery 13 is connected to the switch arm 18through conductor 20, conductor 26, a relay coil 28 of a hold out relayand conductor 30. A

- condenser 32 is connected across the relay coil 30 for a purpose to bepointed out hereinafter.

The switch arm 16 is connected to the conductor 22 through a conductor36, armature 34 of the hold out relay and conductor 40, the armature 34being positioned to be actuated by relay coil 28 upon energizationthereof. The armature 34 will be held out of contact with the contact 38to open the circuit between the battery and the switch arm 16 when coil28 is energized and will be in contact with contact 38 when coil 28 isdeenergized to close the circuit between the battery and the switch arm16.

The switch arms, 14, 16 and 18 have contact elements 15, 17 and 19,respectively, which are arranged so that the arm 14 makes contact withthe arm 16 before the arm 16 makes contact with the arm 18, the cam 12being operable to first move arm 14 into contact with arm 16 throughcontact elements 15 and 17 and thereafter to move arms 14 and 16 to movethe arm 16 into contact with arm 18 through contact elements 17 and 19.

An electric lamp 42 is connected to the above described timer mechanismthrough a conductor 46, connected to the switch arm 17, a relay coil 48,conductor 50 and return to battery 13 through conductors 52 and 58. Inthe operation of the timing mechanism, when the cam 12 is rotated, theswitch arm 14 will first make contact with switch arm 16. Current willthen flow from battery 13 through conductors 22 and 24, switch arms 14and 16, conductor 46, coil 48 and conductor 50 to lamp 42 and returnthrough conductors 52 and 58, to light the lamp.

Switch arms 14 and 16 will also be moved into contact with switch arm18, whereupon current may flow from battery 13 through conductors 22 and24, switch arm 14,

contacts 15, 17 and 19, switch arm 18 and conductor 30 to relay coil 28and return through conductors 26 and 20, to energize coil 28 to holdrelay armature 34 in open position.

The condenser 32 will be charged during the time that the cam 12 holdsthe contacts 15, 17 and 19 closed, and this condenser has a capacitysufficient to keep the coil 28 energized during the ofi time of thelamp, so that the has become discharged and armature 34 will closesothat current from the battery 13 will then be continuously supplied tothe lamp 42 through conductor 36,

armature. 34 and conductor 40. By this arrangement,

Patented -Apr.- 7, 1959'- failure of the timing mechanism results in thelamp 42 remaining continuouslylighted.

The lamp changer mechanism may be of a well known type having a lampcarrying turret provided with a number of lamps arranged to besuccessively moved into position in circuit with the battery and timingmechanism, and mechanism for actuating the turret upon burning out orfailure of the lamp in circuit. The details of construction of the lampchanger mechanism are not shown herein. The mechanism by which theturret is actuated upon burning out of a lamp to move the next lamp intoposition includes an electric motor 44 having an operating connectionwith the turret and which is connected into a-circut to receive currentfrom the battery 13 upon the burning out of a lamp 42 of the turret.

The lamp changer circuit of the invention includes a relay of theopposed coil type having an armature 62 and coils 48 and 70 which are soarranged and constructed that the armature 62 will remain in openposition as long as both of the coils are supplied with current. Thecoil 48 is connected in circuit with the lamp 42 through conductors 46and 50 and the coil 70 receives current through conductors 46 and 58, sothat both coils will be energized as long as lamp 42 is lighted. Shouldlamp 42 burn out, coil 48 will no longer receive current but coil 70will continue to receive current through cond'uctors 46 and 58 and thearmature 62 will then be moved to closed position.

The motor 44 is connected in circuit with the battery 1-3 throughconductor 46, conductor 60, armature 62, conductors 64, contacts 75 and77 of a time delay relay, conductor 68 and return to battery throughconductors 58 and 20.

During normal operation of the beacon with the lamp 42 lighted currentflows through both of the coils 48 and 70, which are arranged so thattheir magnetic fields are opposed, and the armature 62 remains open. Thelamp changer relay is of a relatively slow acting type so that thearmature 62 does not open during the interval between'flashes of thelamp 42. In the event that the lamp 42. burns out, however, the coil 48no longer is energized and armature 62 is closed by coil 70 whichcontinues to receive current. Pulsating current is then supplied to themotor'44 through conductor 46, conductor 60, armature 62, conductor 64,relay contacts 75 and 77, conductor 68 and return through conductors 58and 20 to actuate the lamp turret to move the next lamp into operatingposition. As soon as the new lamp reaches operating position the supplyof current is restored to coil 48 and the armature 62 moves to openposition cutting off the current to motor 44 and stopping the turret.

The time delay relay having the contacts 75 and 77 in circuit with themotor 44 includes a heat sensitive element 73 which carries the contact75 and which is movable under the influence of a rise in temperature tomove the contact 75 out of contact with contact 77 to open the motorcircuit. The time delay relay also has a heating element 67 connected toreceive current through conductor 64 and conductor 58 and located tosupply heat to the heat sensitive element 73.

In the event that all of the lamps of the turret of the lamp changermechanism should be burned out the motor 44: will continue to operate tooperate until the heater 67 has heated the element 73 sufliciently tocause the contact 75 to be moved out of contact with contact 77,whereupon the motor circuit will be opened to stop the turret. The heatsensitive element 73 and heater 67 are so selected that the motor 44will be operated only long enough to rotate the turret a predeterminednumber of revolutions after all of the lamps are burned out, thuspreventing undue wear on the turret and depletion of the battery due tocontinuous rotation of the turret.

It'will thus be seen that the invention constructed and arranged asdescribed above provides electrical beacon equipment of thetype havinga. rotatable. lamp. carrieror turret provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to successively position the lamps inoperating position, there being an electric motor for actuating thecarrier and means being provided for automatically closing the motorcircuit when the lamp circuit is opened by the burning out of one lampto cause a new lamp to be moved into position and for opening the motorcircuit when the lamp circuit is closed by the new lamp.

While the invention has been disclosed herein in connection with acertain specific embodiment of the same, it will be understood that thisis intended by way of example only, and that various changes can be madein the arrangement of the parts within the spirit of the invention andthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimedas new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Electrical beacon equipment comprising an electric lamp, anelectrical current source, an electrical circuit connecting the lamp andsource, switch means for opening;

and closing the circuit at predetermined intervals, a branch circuit forbypassing said switch means, electromagnetic means having an energizingwinding, an armature connected into said branch circuit and movable toone position to open the branch circuit in response to energization ofsaid winding and to another position to close the branch circuit upondeenergization of said winding to said source to energize said winding,means for connecting said winding when said switch means is closed, adischarging circuit into which, said winding is connected and acondenser in said discharging circut.

2. Electrical beacon equipment comprising an electric lamp, anelectrical current source, an electrical circuit connecting the lamp andsource, switch means for opening and closing the circuit atpredetermined intervals, a branch circuit for bypassing said switchmeans, electromagnetic means having an energizing winding, an armatureconnected into said branch circuit and movable to one position to openthe branch circuit in response to energization of said windin and toanother position to close the branch circuit upon deenergization of saidwinding, means for connecting said winding to said source to energizesaid winding when said switch means is closed and for disconnecting saidwinding from said source when said switch means is open and means forsupplying current to said winding for a predetermined time when saidswitch means is open.

3. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamps successively in anoperating position, of an electric motor for actuating said carrier, asource of electrical current, a motor circuit into which said motor andsource are connected, a lamp circuit including one of said lamps andsaid source, an armature connected into said motor circuit and movableto a position to close the motor circuit and to another position to openthe same, means for yieldingly holding the armature in open position, anenergizing winding in said lamp circuit positioned to produce a magneticflux tending to move the armature toward closing position, and anenergizing winding connected in parallel with said one of said lamps andpositioned to produce a magnetic flux tending to move the armaturetoward closing position, the resultant force of said magnetic fluxes onsaid armature being insutficient to move the armature toward closingposition when said lamp circuit is closed.

4. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamps successively in anoperating position, of an electric motor for actuating the carrier, asource of electrical current, a motor circuit into which the motor andsource are connected, a lamp circuit including said source and oneofsaid lamps, an'armature connected into said motor circuit and movable toone position to close the motor circuit and to another position to openthe same, yieldable means yieldingly urging the armature toward openposition, an energizing winding connected in parallel with said one ofsaid lamps and positioned to exert 'a magnetic force on said armature toovercome said yieldable means to move the armature toward closingposition and an energizing winding in said lamp circuit positioned toexert a magnetic force in opposition to the magnetic force exerted bysaid first mentioned winding to cause said yieldablc means to hold thearmature in open position when the lamp circuit is closed.

5. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamps successively in anoperating position, of an electric motor for actuating the carrier, asource of electrical current, a motor circuit into which the motor andsource are connected, a lamp circuit including said source and one ofsaid lamps, an armature connected into said motor circuit and movable toone position to close the motor circuit and to another position to openthe same, yieldable means yieldingly urging the armature toward openposition, a first energizing winding connected to said source andpositioned to exert a magnetic force on said armature in a direction tomove the armature toward closing position and a second energizingwinding in said lamp circuit arranged in opposed magnetic relation tosaid first magnetizing winding and positioned to exert a magnetic forceon said armature in a direction to move the armature toward closingposition.

6. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamps successively in anoperating position, of an electric motor for actuating the carrier, atsource of electrical current, a motor circuit including said source andone of said lamps, an armature connected into said motor circuit andmovable to one position to close the motor circuit and to anotherposition to open the same, yieldable means yieldingly urging thearmature toward open position, a first energizing winding connected tosaid source and positioned to produce a magnetic flux in a direction andof sufficient strength to move said armature to closing position, asecond energizing winding connected into said lamp circuit andpositioned to produce a magnetic fiux in a direction opposite to thedirection of the flux produced by said first energizing winding, theresultant of the magnetic forces exerted on said armature by saidwindings when both of the windings are energized being insuflicient tomove the armature to closing position.

7. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamp successively in anoperating position, an electrical current source, a lamp circuit intowhich said source and the one of said lamps in said operating positionis connected, switch means for opening and closing the lamp circuit atpredetermined intervals, an electric motor for actuating said carrier, amotor circuit including said source and said motor, means for openingand closing the motor circuit and means for actuating said last namedmeans to close the motor circuit when the lamp circuit has been openlonger than the predetermined open interval of the lamp circuit.

8. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamps successively in anoperating position, an electrical current source, a lamp circuit intowhich said source and the one of said lamps in said operating positionis connected, switch means for opening and closing the lamp circuit atpredetermined intervals, an electric motor for actuating said carrier, amotor circuit including said source and said motor, means for openingand closing the motor circuit and means for actuating said last namedmeans to close the motor circuit when the lamp circuit has been openlonger than the predetermined open interval of the lamp circuit and toopen the motor circuit upon reclosing of the lamp circuit.

9. In electrical beacon equipment the combination with lamp changermechanism of the type having a lamp carrier provided with a plurality ofelectric lamps and movable to position the lamps successively in anoperating position, an electrical current source, a lamp circuit intowhich said source and the one of said lamps in said operating positionis connected, switch means for opening and closing the lamp circuit atpredetermined intervals, an electric motor for actuating said carrier, amotor circuit including said source and said motor, means for openingand closing the motor circuit, means for actuating said last named meansto close the motor circuit when the lamp circuit has been open longerthan the predetermined open interval of the lamp circuit and to open themotor circuit upon reclosing of the lamp circuit, and means for openingthe motor circuit when the lamp circuit has been open longer than thetime required for each of said lamps to be moved successively into saidoperating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS275,290 Thomson Apr. 3, 1883 1,210,027 Wilbur Dec. 26, 1916 2,132,097Bryant Oct. 4, 1938 2,717,331 Hollins Sept. 6, 1955

